'Superfoods' Everyone Needs

“Whether you’re trying to prevent cataracts, macular degeneration, cancer, or cardiovascular disease, the same type of preventive dietary measures apply,” he says. “The whole body is connected: a healthy heart equals a healthy eye and healthy skin. You’ll hear about all these special diets for special health needs, but really, the same diet and the same lifestyle choices prevent the same diseases. With rare exceptions, you don’t need 20 different preventive modalities — just one really good diet.”

And that “one really good diet,” Pratt says, should be founded on these “superfoods”:

Beans

Blueberries

Broccoli

Oats

Oranges

Pumpkin

Salmon

Soy

Spinach

Tea (green or black)

Tomatoes

Turkey

Walnuts

Yogurt

When incorporated into your regular daily diet, these foods, says Pratt, can stop some of the changes that lead to diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, Alzheimer’s, and some cancers. “I picked them out after researching all of the world’s healthiest diets: for example, Japanese diets, Mediterranean diets, and even some of the healthier dietary patterns in the United States,” he says. “I noticed that it’s the same food groups wherever you live.”